Modular prosthetic devices and prosthesis system

Abstract

An adjustable prosthesis system for a residual limb includes: an adjustable outer shell having an adjustable inner volume and an adjustable inner shape; at least one closure component attached to the adjustable outer shell and adapted to adjust at least one of the adjustable inner volume and the adjustable inner shape of the adjustable outer shell; an inner liner adapted to receive the residual limb and to be inserted in the adjustable inner volume of the adjustable outer shell; and an adjustable connector having a proximal end adjustably connected to a distal end of the adjustable outer shell and adapted to provide concurrently for a plurality of directional adjustments and/or angular adjustments of a position of the distal end of the adjustable outer shell relative to the proximal end of the adjustable connector, a distal end of the adjustable connector being adapted to connect to a prosthetic device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An adjustable prosthesis system for a residual limb, comprising:
 an adjustable flexible outer shell having an adjustable inner volume and an adjustable inner shape, wherein the adjustable outer shell comprises 
 a first flap having a first extended end, and 
 a second flap opposite the first flap and having a second extended end, 
 wherein at least a portion of the first flap overlaps at least a portion of the second flap so that at least a portion of the first extended end is on top of the second flap and at least a portion of the second extended end is under the first flap; 
 at least one closure component attached to the adjustable flexible outer shell and adapted to adjust at least one of the adjustable inner volume and the adjustable inner shape of the adjustable flexible outer shell; 
 an inner liner adapted to receive the residual limb and to be inserted in the adjustable inner volume of the adjustable flexible outer shell; and 
 an adjustable connector having a proximal end adjustably connected to a distal end of the adjustable flexible outer shell and adapted to provide concurrently for a plurality of directional adjustments and/or angular adjustments of a position of the distal end of the adjustable flexible outer shell relative to the proximal end of the adjustable connector, a distal end of the adjustable connector being adapted to connect to a shank or an other prosthetic device, wherein the adjustable connector comprises 
 an upper plate adapted to adjustably connect to the adjustable flexible outer shell, 
 a lower plate below the upper plate and adapted to adjustably connect to the upper plate and to a shank or an other prosthetic device, and 
 a plurality of rocker bolt assemblies adjustably connecting the lower plate to the upper plate, wherein at least a portion of a bottom surface of the upper plate is convex and at least a portion of an upper surface of the lower plate is concave and adapted to receive at least part of the convex portion of the bottom surface of the upper plate, 
 wherein each rocker bolt assembly has a hollow threaded socket that extends downward through one of a plurality of apertures in the bottom surface of the upper plate and further downward through one of a plurality of adjacent corresponding apertures in the upper surface of the lower plate, the hollow threaded socket adapted to receive a threaded bolt, and 
 wherein the directional adjustments are selected from a group consisting of a forward adjustment, a backward adjustment, a side-to-side adjustment, a rotational adjustment, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one closure component is selected from a group consisting of buttons, snaps, clasps, clips, elastic components, buckles, laces, ties, interlocking components, hook-and-loop fasteners, hook-and-eye fasteners, hook-shaped components, looped wires, straps, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       3. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , wherein the first flap has a lateral length that is longer than a lateral length of the second flap. 
     
     
       4. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one stiffening member attached to at least a portion of the adjustable flexible outer shell. 
     
     
       5. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , wherein adjustment of the adjustable flexible outer shell and adjustment of the adjustable connector provide for a custom-like fit on the residual limb of the adjustable prosthesis system accounting for a plurality of differences in at least some of residual limb shape, circumference, volume, angle, general size, and other properties, as well as a plurality of differences in at least some of gait, bone structure, bone curvature, and bone alignment among a plurality of amputees. 
     
     
       6. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the inner liner is deformable. 
     
     
       7. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable connector is releasably attached to the adjustable flexible outer shell. 
     
     
       8. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a suspension system connected to the adjustable flexible outer shell. 
     
     
       9. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one adjustment component selected from a group consisting of a height adjustment component, a volume adjustment component, an angle adjustment component, a circumference adjustment component, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       10. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a pin suspension system with a locking pin. 
     
     
       11. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 10 , further comprising a locking mechanism to lock and unlock the locking pin at a desired position. 
     
     
       12. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 11 , further comprising a base plate adapted to guide the locking pin to a location adjacent the locking mechanism. 
     
     
       13. An adjustable prosthesis system as in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a lower surface of the upper plate is textured and at least a portion of an upper surface of the lower plate is textured. 
     
     
       14. An adjustable connector for a prosthesis system, comprising:
 an upper plate adapted to adjustably connect to a component of the prosthesis system adjacent a residual limb; 
 a lower plate below the upper plate and adapted to adjustably connect to the upper plate and to a shank or an other prosthetic device below the lower plate; and 
 a plurality of rocker bolt assemblies adapted to adjustably connect the lower plate to the upper plate thereby providing for an adjustable connection between the component of the prosthesis system adjacent the residual limb and the shank or an other prosthetic device, 
 whereby the adjustable connection provides for a concurrently made plurality of directional adjustments and/or angular adjustments of a position of the component of the prosthesis system relative to the shank or an other prosthetic device while the component of the prosthesis system is on the residual limb, 
 wherein each rocker bolt assembly has a hollow threaded socket that extends downward through one of a plurality of apertures in a bottom surface of the upper plate and further downward through one of a plurality of adjacent corresponding apertures in an upper surface of the lower plate, the hollow threaded socket adapted to receive a threaded bolt. 
 
     
     
       15. An adjustable connector for a prosthesis system, comprising:
 an upper plate adapted to adjustably connect to a component of the prosthesis system adjacent a residual limb; 
 a lower plate below the upper plate and adapted to adjustably connect to the upper plate and to a shank or an other prosthetic device below the lower plate; and 
 a plurality of fasteners adapted to adjustably connect the lower plate to the upper plate, thereby providing for an adjustable connection between the component of the prosthesis system adjacent the residual limb and the shank or an other prosthetic device, 
 whereby the adjustable connection provides for a concurrently made plurality of directional adjustments and/or angular adjustments of a position of the component of the prosthesis system relative to the shank or an other prosthetic device, 
 wherein at least one of the fasteners is a rocker bolt assembly, and 
 wherein each rocker bolt assembly has a hollow threaded socket that extends downward through one of a plurality of apertures in a bottom surface of the upper plate and further downward through one of a plurality of adjacent corresponding apertures in an upper surface of the lower plate, the hollow threaded socket adapted to receive a threaded bolt. 
 
     
     
       16. An adjustable connector as in  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of a lower surface of the upper plate is textured and at least a portion of an upper surface of the lower plate is textured. 
     
     
       17. An adjustable connector as in  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of a bottom surface of the upper plate is convex and at least a portion of an upper surface of the lower plate is concave and adapted to receive at least part of the convex portion of the bottom surface of the upper plate. 
     
     
       18. An adjustable connector as in  claim 15 , wherein the directional adjustments are selected from a group consisting of a forward adjustment, a backward adjustment, a side-to-side adjustment, a rotational adjustment, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       19. An adjustable connector for a prosthesis system, comprising:
 an upper plate adapted to adjustably connect to a component of the prosthesis system adjacent a residual limb; 
 a lower plate below the upper plate and adapted to adjustably connect to the upper plate and to a shank or an other prosthetic device below the lower plate, 
 wherein at least a portion of a bottom surface of the upper plate is convex and at least a portion of an upper surface of the lower plate is concave and adapted to receive at least part of the convex portion of the bottom surface of the upper plate; and 
 a plurality of rocker bolt assemblies adapted to adjustably connect the lower plate to the upper plate, thereby providing for an adjustable connection between the component of the prosthesis system adjacent the residual limb and the shank or an other prosthetic device, 
 whereby the adjustable connection provides for a concurrently made plurality of directional adjustments and/or angular adjustments of a position of the component of the prosthesis system relative to the shank or an other prosthetic device, 
 wherein the directional adjustments are selected from a group consisting of a forward adjustment, a backward adjustment, a side-to-side adjustment, a rotational adjustment, and combinations thereof, and 
 wherein each rocker bolt assembly has a hollow threaded socket that extends downward through one of a plurality of apertures in the bottom surface of the upper plate and further downward through one of a plurality of adjacent corresponding apertures in the upper surface of the lower plate, the hollow threaded socket adapted to receive a threaded bolt. 
 
     
     
       20. An adjustable connector as in  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of a lower surface of the upper plate is textured and at least a portion of an upper surface of the lower plate is textured. 
     
     
       21. An adjustable connector for a prosthesis system, comprising:
 an upper plate adapted to adjustably connect to a component of the prosthesis system adjacent a residual limb; 
 a lower plate below the upper plate and adapted to adjustably connect to the upper plate and to a shank or an other prosthetic device below the lower plate, 
 wherein at least a portion of a bottom surface of the upper plate is convex and at least a portion of an upper surface of the lower plate is concave and adapted to receive at least part of the convex portion of the bottom surface of the upper plate; and 
 a plurality of rocker bolt assemblies adapted to adjustably connect the lower plate to the upper plate, thereby providing for an adjustable connection between the component of the prosthesis system adjacent the residual limb and the shank or an other prosthetic device, 
 whereby the adjustable connection provides for a concurrently made plurality of directional adjustments and/or angular adjustments of a position of the component of the prosthesis system relative to the shank or an other prosthetic device while the component of the prosthesis system is on the residual limb, 
 wherein each rocker bolt assembly has a hollow threaded socket that extends downward through one of a plurality of apertures in the bottom surface of the upper plate and further downward through one of a plurality of adjacent corresponding apertures in the upper surface of the lower plate, the hollow threaded socket adapted to receive a threaded bolt.